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11. From the poem, the reader may infer all of the following about the speaker EXCEPT that he (Idamay, Chris)
a. Feels deep compassion for nuns

This choice does not really have much to do with the essence of the poem. Although there is no evidence that he hates nuns, neither is there any that he likes them. In fact, the poem says nothing about nuns other than stating that they like their lifestyle.

I believe the answer is E because the verse directly refutes itself by first stating it is "the prison" but then refuting this argument with "no prison is". This kind of contradiction is, in essense, the nature of a paradox.

I think the answer is E. "twas pastime" is referring to pleasant things since a pastime is a form of entertainment or amusement. Thus it is parallel to all the options that reflect a form of happiness or satisfaction etc. You can immediately eliminate A, B and C since all of them have this in common. However, I was a little hesitant as to whether D or E was the right answer. I finally chose E since "doom" seems to be the word that less resembles the meaning of pastime. A pastime is a activity done willingly while doom is a negative fate, destiny or ill fortune.

Marie-Claire: The prison IS parallel to the sonnet, which is a self-chosen form of restriction (like the narrow room, citadels, bells - flowers - of the foxglove. The reference to bees flying high, as high as the mountain peek, is to demonstrate the freedom the bees might enjoy contrasted withthe narrow space inside the flower which they choose instead. Choice (C) is the best answer.

Bruce: Correct with (A), because the "there" is refering to the sonnet, where the poet has found pleasure.

Giuliano: (C ) is the correct answer - it is indeed a metaphor comparing the sonnet and a small plot of land. A simile would use like or as, and the apostrophe would directly address a person or thing.

Chris: Correct with (A). There is no reason to feel compassion for nuns, whose confinement is self-chosen.

Hugo: Yes with (E). See above for Jordan's response.

Alexia: I love how you rationalized your decision, and it is correct with (E). Like you said, the phrase is the expression of the speaker's pleasure in restriction. The phrases you mentioned are all used to express satisfaction with elected restraints. The exception is "we doom".

8. The figure of speech in line 11 (“Within the Sonnet’s scanty plot of ground”) is (Rodrigo, Giuliano)

c. A metaphor comparing the sonnet and a small piece of land

What this small part of the poem is doing is comparing the Sonnet with a scanty plot of ground. This direct comparison to something else is what makes it a metaphor. I understand that as everyone has their own space that is assigned to them, he has a Sonnet's scanty plot of ground.

"twas pastime" means "it was a pleasant time" or it's referencing to a pleasant activity. As Alexia said, with this knowledge you can eliminate A since "fret not" basically means worry not, B is pretty straightforward and C where blithe means joyous. D is tough one to eliminate. This is because a murmur can be negative as in a mumbling of discontent or neutral as in indistinct voices. E seems like the best choice because the word choice of doom, which has nothing positive or pleasant whatsoever.

I think the right answer to the question #2: “Which of the following best describes the organization of the poem?” is choice b “A series of examples followed by a generalization and a personal application” because the poem starts giving examples of different people and their supposed prisons like the nuns and the convent, the weavers and their looms, the students and school but then the poem says “In truth the prison, into which we doom Ourselves, no prison is” that is a generalization that in a way says that what we think is a prison is something necessary to us. Something that we already know and is a part of us. At last then comes the personal application where it says “and hence for me….” The poetic voice says that when freedom was given he or she was lost and didn’t know how to act. That in a way it needed the “prison” and what was ordinary in its life.

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